3rd Battalion

3rd Battalion

3rd Battalion parading in Egypt December 1914 AWM H00521

Brief History

The 3rd Battalion, AIF, was raised soon after the declaration of war, and began concentrating at Randwick near Sydney, drawing its recruits from the Werriwa area of New South Wales. Following two months basic training they departed Australia as part of the 1st convoy, and arrived in Egypt on 2 Dec 1914. Following further training in Egypt they were positioned to protect the Suez Canal from Turkish attacks, and then participated in the landing at Anzac Cove as part of the second and third waves.

Active in the defence of the beachhead once a stalemate had developed, they also participated in the Battle of Lone Pine in August 1915. They were evacuated in December 1915 along with the rest of the ANZAC force.

Returned to Egypt they again defended the Suez Canal before in March 1916 when they embarked for France where their first major action was at Poziéres in July 1916. When they had recovered from their losses at Poziéres they spent time in the front line in Belgium before wintering in the front lines in the Somme region.

In 1917 they were involved in actions against the Hindenburg Line, spending most of the year in the Ypres salient, until in early 1918 when they were rushed south to the Somme to help halt the German advance during March and April. The battalion was active in the Hundred Day's Offensive when the Germans were forced back up the Somme valley. Like all other Australian Infantry units, they were out of the line when the Armistice was announced. By May 1919 most of the unit's personnel had returned to Australia and the battalion was disbanded.

During war, the 3rd Battalion suffered 3,598 casualties, of which 1,312 were killed in action.

Battalion Personnel

• Edgar Leslie Livermore 26 Aug 1915 - 12 Feb 1916

Battle Honours

• ANZAC
• Landing at ANZAC
• Defence at ANZAC
• Suvla
• Sari Bair - Lone Pine
• Somme 1916
• Somme 1918
• Pozieres
• Bullecourt
• Ypres 1917
• Menin Road
• Polygon Wood
• Broodseinde
• Poelcappelle
• Passchendaele
• Lys
• Hazebrouck
• Amiens
• Albert 1918 (Chuignes)
• Hindenburg Line
• Hindenburg Line
• Epehy
• France and Flanders 1916–1918

Individual Honours

• 1 Victoria Cross (Pte John Hamilton)
• 3 Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
• 4 Distinguished Service Orders
• 28 Military Crosses
• 34 Distinguished Conduct Medals
• 92 Military Medals with three Bars
• 8 Meritorious Service Medals
• 74 Mentions in Despatches, and
• 6 foreign awards

Notes

Content for the history and honours sections has come from a combination of Wikipedia and the Australian War Memorial websites.